Flight Safety Information
December 11, 2015 - No. 248
In This Issue
Risks From In-Flight Pilot Error Persist
Four People Killed In Medical Helicopter Crash in California
Eclipse jet plunges from altitude
EU warns Thailand over air safety
Delta Air Lines (DAL) Puts the Kibosh on Hoverboards; Cites Safety Concerns
Risk to Aircraft From Drones Being Debated
Delta flight diverted back to Seattle after pressurization issue
United could add up to 50 100-seat aircraft: Analyst
Malaysia Cargo Firm Says It Owns 3 Jets Left Idle at Airport
Indonesian aerospace company introduces new homegrown aircraft
Air Force proposes $3-billion plan to vastly expand its drone program
3 Ways Tech Has the Aviation Industry Poised for Change
SpaceX Launches May Resume Dec. 19, 6 Months after Accident
Research Survey
Upcoming Events
JOBS AVAILABLE (New Positions)
Risks From In-Flight Pilot Error Persist
Eurocontrol study finds quarter of pilots fail to take correct action when alarms go off
Tegel Airport in Berlin. The Eurocontrol study examined data from 800 incidents in European airspace last year.
By ANDY PASZTOR
Pilots responding improperly to midair-collision alarms pose one of the top safety risks for airline passengers across Europe, according to studies by the
regional authority that show little improvement in addressing the danger.
One-quarter of cockpit crews who received such computer-generated emergency warnings failed to take the correct evasive action, according to data from
some 800 incidents in European airspace last year.
Reacting to such commands, which typically pop up less than 30 seconds before a possible collision, roughly 8% of pilots did the opposite of what the
technology commanded, such as pulling the plane up when the alert told them to push it down. Another 17% climbed or descended too slowly or too
quickly, according to analyses by Eurocontrol, which handles and coordinates European air traffic.
Individual airlines and locations weren't disclosed, but all the events occurred outside airport radar coverage.
Improper pilot responses rose to 36% for follow-up alerts, according to Tzvetomir Blajev, the Eurocontrol official who headed the study. Results from
previous years were comparable.
None of the close calls analyzed led to accidents, but "the number of improper responses is concerning," Mr. Blajev said in an interview. "We are looking
for more information to start safety-improvement actions."
Findings from recent studies in the U.S. or elsewhere haven't been disseminated, so it isn't possible to compare regions. Based on historical data
buttressed by recent but limited anecdotal information, some safety experts estimate the error rate to be comparable.
Business jets also are equipped with comparable warning systems, but the performance level of those pilots is even less clear.
In a separate, detailed analysis of dozens of the most serious European midair close calls in 2014, Eurocontrol concluded that only sheer luck prevented
two from ending in tragedy.
"The normal safety barriers broke down completely" partly due to pilots' failures to respond properly, according to Mr. Blajev, who directs the agency's
safety-improvement initiatives.
Further efforts are under way to determine factors influencing cockpit reactions, he said.
Some independent safety experts believe pilot complacency and undue reliance on cockpit automation are major reasons behind the slip-ups. "When
something really goes wrong, crews may not be ready to respond emotionally, or otherwise," according to consultant Robert Matthews, a former U.S.
Federal Aviation Administration safety analyst.
The rate of pilot errors in avoiding potential midair collisions in Europe was disclosed at an international safety conference in Miami Beach in November.
The Eurocontrol study was based on data drawn from just 13 radar facilities, a small portion of those in the 42 countries whose airspace Eurocontrol
handles or coordinates. It involved an average of 120 incidents each month, indicating that such incidents likely occur thousands of times each year
throughout Europe.
A spokesman for the European Aviation Safety Agency, the region's safety regulator, didn't have any immediate comment.
Years before the Eurocontrol study, Airbus Group SE opted to equip its A380 and A350 jets with technology to automatically put the planes into the
appropriate climb or descent trajectory, without any pilot action. The company incorporated the technology partly out of concern that pilots would react
too slowly or otherwise incorrectly to warnings. Crews are trained to respond within a few seconds.
Current collision-avoidance systems, called TCAS or ACAS, have dramatically reduced the specter of midair crashes world-wide.
When onboard computers determine two aircraft are on a potential collision course, they issue a general warning followed by a more urgent and specific
alert called a resolution advisory. That shows up on the instrument panel, typically depicting the other plane in red and instructing pilots to immediately
climb or descend.
The start and duration of such advisories depends on variables including altitude, closing speed and pilot reactions. Computers on opposing planes
communicate with each other during maneuvers and can adjust the warnings they issue, with the goal of ensuring pilots maintain a safe vertical
separation of at least 300 feet. Pilots are informed once the danger passes.
The automated commands "should always be followed precisely by flight crews, that's the firm policy of Eurocontrol," according to Mr. Blajev.
In the U.S., pilots and regulators say aviators have somewhat greater leeway to adjust responses, based on their judgment, specifics of the situation and
whether crews are able to clearly see the other plane or know its intentions.
Yet the systems aren't foolproof, because equipment failures or pilot mistakes have resulted in several high-profile tragedies since the 1990s. One of the
most dramatic crashes occurred in 2002 over European airspace, when a DHL Inc. cargo jet collided with a Russian-built charter plane carrying dozens of
teenage tourists, resulting in 71 fatalities.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/risks-from-in-flight-pilot-error-persist-1449783996
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Four People Killed In Medical Helicopter Crash in California
Four people have been killed after a medevac helicopter crashed in Kern County, California.
Just before 7 p.m. Thursday the Skylife H-4 helicopter left Porterville Airport with a critical patient who was being transferred to San Joaquin Community
Hospital in Bakersfield.
Ten minutes into the flight when a routine safety call from the Fresno County EMS dispatch center was unable to make radio contact with Skylife, they
immediately contacted both airport towers.
Dispatch then contacted the local fire department and sheriff's office.
The helicopter has one pilot, a flight nurse, flight paramedic and the patient.
An Air Ambulance spokesperson told the media at a press conference they were thankful for the support they've been receiving from officials and they do
know the identities of the deceased and are in the process of contacting the families."
"We don't know exactly what the cause of the crash was at this point." Air Ambulance told reporters.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have confirmed to ABC News that they are investigating the crash.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/people-killed-medevac-helicopter-crash-california/story?id=35709660
***************
Date:
10-DEC-2015
Time:
c 1900 LT
Type:
Bell 407
Owner/operator:
SkyLife
Registration:
N408FC
C/n / msn:
53450
Fatalities:
Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:
0
Airplane damage:
Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:
Bakersfield, CA - United States of America
Phase:
En route
Nature:
Ambulance
Departure airport:
Fresno
Destination airport:
San Joaquin Community Hospital, Bakersfield
Narrative:
The SkyLife helicopter was traveling on a 10-minute flight. A search was started at 7:37 p.m. after there was no contact with the aircraft for 30 minutes,
NBC station KGET reported
The crew worked for SkyLife, a medical transport service jointly owned by American Ambulance and Rogers Helicopters.
The victims were the pilot, a nurse, a paramedic and a patient.
http://www.aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=182196
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Eclipse jet plunges from altitude
Controllers lost contact with an Eclipse EA500 business jet bound for Cape Town, South Africa, at 37,000 feet on Dec. 7, and a fighter pilot scrambled to
intercept made visual contact in time to see the owner-flown aircraft in a steep spiral into the ground.
The South African Air Force released an online account Dec. 8, describing the accident flight that ended with the aircraft disintegrating on impact, with no
sign of post-crash fire.
The crash may be the first fatal accident involving an Eclipse jet, and is listed as such in the Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network database.
Dicks was the sole occupant, according to published newspaper reports.
The South African businessman purchased the six-seat twinjet in 2013, and the jet's maker noted in a company press release posted online that he used it
frequently for business travel around South Africa. That 2013 release identified Dicks, 57, as the first Eclipse owner in South Africa; other media outlets
report he was the first Eclipse customer in all of Africa.
Details of the crash were submitted by users of the Flight Safety Foundation's Aviation Safety Network database. According to that account, the aircraft
departed from Lanseria Airport bound for Cape Town International, and began a series of descending right turns after radio contact was lost. The report
describes a 3,700 fpm descent into an open field, and notes that hypoxia and pilot incapacitation have been cited as possible causes.
http://www.aopa.org/News-and-Video/All-News/2015/December/09/Eclipse-jet-plunges-from-altitude
**************
Status:
Preliminary
Date:
Monday 7 December 2015
Time:
10:55
Type:
Eclipse 500
Operator:
Dixco Transport (Pty) Ltd
Registration:
ZS-DKS
C/n / msn:
000142
First flight:
2008
Engines:
2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PW617F-A
Crew:
Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Passengers:
Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0
Total:
Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Airplane damage:
Damaged beyond repair
Location:
S of Swellendam, Western Cape ( South Africa)
Phase:
En route (ENR)
Nature:
Private
Departure airport:
Lanseria Airport (HLA/FALA), South Africa
Destination airport:
Cape Town International Airport (CPT/FACT), South Africa
Narrative:
The aircraft was en route from Lanseria Airport to Cape Town International. As it approached at 36,000 feet, It appeared to have been vectored along an
airway towards the Caledon VOR (VHF omnidirectional range, a radio navigation aid). In the vicinity of Greyton in the Western Cape, radio contact with the
aircraft was lost. The aircraft then proceeded to make a right hand turn followed by a further three right hand turns while traveling in an easterly direction
and at the same time losing height. During the course of these events, Air Traffic and Navigation Services tried in vain on all frequencies to make contact
with the aircraft. A Gripen jet from the Test Flight and Development Centre based at Air Force Base Overberg near Bredasdorp was tasked to intercept the
aircraft. The Gripen was scrambled and came alongside the Eclipse within 15 minutes. Despite further attempts to make contact with the aircraft, it
continued to lose height at a rate of 3,700 fpm and It crashed in an open field south of Swellendam. Hypoxia or pilot incapacitation have been cited as
possible reasons for the erratic flight path and lack of response.
Note: When viewing the flight track below, please take into account that the minimum play-back speed available on FR24 is 12 times the actual speed.
This has the effect of straight lines being drawn between way-points resulting in sharp angles during changes in direction. In reality these would have been
a lot more gradual.
http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20151207-0
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EU warns Thailand over air safety
EU regulators have issued a special warning over travelling on airlines from Thailand, but stopped short of following last week's damaging US safety
downgrade.
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said Thailand would be closely monitored as it updated the bloc's air safety blacklist.
While 'no air carriers from Thailand were added to the Air Safety List at this time ... the Commission and European Aviation Safety Agency will however
closely monitor future developments', the Commission said in a statement on Thursday.
'If the protection of air passengers against safety risks so requires, the Commission could then propose to include one or more air carriers from Thailand in
the Air Safety List,' it added.
The Commission gave no specific reasons for its action.
US authorities in their decision last week cited a series of shortcomings over 'technical expertise, trained personnel, record-keeping, or inspection
procedures'.
For a country heavily dependent on tourism, the US ruling was a huge blow.
Former army chief turned prime minister, Prayut Chan-O-Cha, in response blamed successive civilian administrations for failing to tackle safety concerns
over the last decade.
In the blacklist update for Europe, the European Union added Iraqi Airways, but dropped Kazakh carrier Air Astana.
The current EU safety list covers 20 countries and some 230 airlines that are banned from flying Europe's skies.
The countries where airlines are banned outright are: Afghanistan, Angola, Benin, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gabon, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Libya, Mozambique, Nepal, Sao
Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Sudan and Zambia.
http://www.skynews.com.au/news/world/asiapacific/2015/12/11/eu-warns-thailand-over-air-safety.html#sthash.PUWKZGDq.dpuf
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Delta Air Lines (DAL) Puts the Kibosh on Hoverboards; Cites Safety Concerns
Despite their presence on many gift lists this holiday season, Delta (NYSE: DAL) made the decision today to not allow hoverboards on board its aircraft out
of safety considerations.
Employee and passenger safety remains the airline's top priority, driving Delta to disallow hoverboards and all lithium battery powered self-balancing
personal transportation devices in carry-on and checked baggage effective Dec. 11.
Poorly labeled, powerful lithium-ion batteries powering hoverboards are the issue. Delta reviewed hoverboard product specifications and found that
manufacturers do not consistently provide detail about the size or power of their lithium-ion batteries.
This investigation revealed devices often contain battery varieties above the government mandated 160 watt hour limit permitted aboard aircraft. While
occurrences are uncommon, these batteries can spontaneously overheat and pose a fire hazard risk.
In addition to the 160 watt hour or less requirement for lithium ion batteries, any spare batteries (or any battery not already installed into an electronic
device) must be in carry-on baggage, and no more than two spares are allowed.
http://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Delta+Air+Lines+(DAL)+Puts+the+Kibosh+on+Hoverboards%3B+Cites+Safety+Concerns/11144804.html
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Risk to Aircraft From Drones Being Debated
In August, the Federal Aviation Administration said that reports of close calls by pilots had soared, even though F.A.A. rules prohibit drones from being
flown near airports. Credit Carlo Allegri/Reuters
When the pilot of an Alitalia jetliner reported seeing a drone while approaching Kennedy Airport in New York in March 2013, the likelihood of a collision
between a drone and a commercial jet seemed pretty remote.
But over the past two years, aviation experts and regulators have become increasingly concerned about the growing number of drones flying near airports
and the risks they could potentially create for aviation safety. Last Saturday, for instance, a California Highway Patrol helicopter nearly crashed into a
drone and the pilot avoided a collision only because he veered away.
"If you go through the windshield and you hit the pilot, that's game over," a highway patrol spokesman, Jim Andrews, told local reporters. "If it goes into
the rotor blades, depending on where or what it hits, it could be the same situation."
Op-Ed Columnist: Dreading Those DronesOCT. 30, 2015
But while the number of drones is growing rapidly, their impact on flight safety is still being debated. More than 400,000 drones were sold last year and
this year the Consumer Technology Association is forecasting sales of 700,000 more.
In August, the Federal Aviation Administration said reports of close calls by pilots had soared, even though F.A.A. rules prohibit flying drones near airports.
It reported cases in which commercial pilots had seen drones flying above 10,000 feet and pointed to instances in which firefighters battling wildfires in the
western part of the country had to ground their operations after spotting drones nearby.
Drone enthusiasts criticized the agency as sensationalizing the issue as it seeks to regulate it. Critics, for instance, said laser beams pointed at pilots were
a far bigger and more malicious threat to commercial aviation.
A camera drone near the scene of a building explosion in New York last year.Regulators Propose a Drone Registration SystemOCT. 19, 2015
There have been more than 5,000 reports of lasers aimed at airplanes, a number that has risen over the past few years, according to pilot representatives.
Also, aircraft last year recorded about 13,000 bird strikes, a well-known threat to aviation safety, according to F.A.A. statistics.
The Academy of Model Aeronautics, which represents model plane hobbyists, produced its own report that found that only a tiny number of drones were
involved in close encounters with airplanes where pilots had to take evasive action. The F.A.A. itself has found only two instances of possible drone
collisions with an aircraft, but has not been able to confirm either episode, according to a spokesman.
But Hulsey Smith, the chief executive of Aero Kinetics, a maker of commercial drones, said the risks of accidentally flying into the path of an airplane or a
helicopter was statistically "just a matter of time."
"The general public has no sense of how dangerous these toys really are," he said. "If we don't have an honest conversation about those risks, we could
set this industry back years and decades."
The F.A.A. is considering requiring drone owners to register themselves when they acquire a drone, probably before the end of this year. Regulators are
also working on new rules for commercial drone operators, which will be completed next year. Under those rules, drones would be barred from flying
above 500 feet, or faster than 100 miles per hour. Operators will also have to maintain a line of sight with drones.
Mr. Hulsey said that registering drone owners was a necessary first step but not enough. He supports setting up a system to certify a drone's airworthiness
to prove it can operate safely, and possibly equipping drones with costly tracking beacons or collision avoidance systems.
A study by two researchers at the Center for the Study of the Drone, at Bard College, due to be released Friday, tries to provide a more comprehensive
overview of the risks. The study broadened the definition of close encounter to include incidents in which a drone flew close to a plane, not just those in
which a pilot had to take evasive action.
The study reviewed 922 incidents involving drones and manned aircraft in the national airspace over the past two years. These incidents were reported to
the F.A.A. and NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System, a confidential reporting system for pilots, from December 2013 to September 2015.
The researchers found that 327 incidents or 35 percent of the cases could be described as close encounters, defined as drones coming within 500 feet of
aircraft.
In 158 of those cases, a drone came within 200 feet or less of an aircraft, and in 28 instances, a pilot reported having to maneuver to avoid a collision.
The study also found 90 close encounters between a commercial jet aircraft and a drone, and 38 involved helicopters.
Arthur Holland Michel, one author of the study, said regulators and policy makers, as well as the public, needed more accurate and impartial data to get a
better understanding of the risks.
"The seriousness of the problem is still somewhat up for debate in terms of the particulars," he said, about whether a drone could bring down a
commercial airliner or whether the episodes represent malicious intent.
"But the challenge of integrating drones in the domestic airspace can only be addressed through a combination of solutions," he said. "And it will take
collaboration between the industry, the regulators and the drone users."
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/11/business/risk-to-aircraft-from-drones-being-debated.html
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Delta flight diverted back to Seattle after pressurization issue
SEATTLE - A Delta plane was diverted back to Sea-Tac Airport Thursday night after experiencing a pressurization issue while in flight.
Delta Flight 5749 took off from Sea-Tac just before 7:30 p.m. and was headed to San Diego, Calif. when the crew noticed the issue caused by one of the
aircraft doors.
The flight was over Central Oregon but, pilots decided to return to Sea-Tac. They flew at a low altitude at about 14,000 feet as a precaution. The Embraer
175 twin-jet plane is not able to dump fuel, so the pilots had to circle around in the air for a while before landing.
Sea-Tac Airport officials say the issue did not cause de-pressurization of the plane. The jet landed safely just before 9 p.m.
Airport officials did not say whether passengers would be re-booked on flights tonight, or have to wait until tomorrow.
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Delta-flight-makes-emergency-landing-at-Sea-Tac-Airport-361530381.html
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United could add up to 50 100-seat aircraft: Analyst
United Airlines executives have told analysts that they anticipate a fleet of 25 to 50 mainline aircraft with around 100 seats.
The Chicago-based carrier would need at least 25 and up to 50 of the aircraft in order for such a fleet to "make sense given the added complexity
associated with training, spares provisioning and maintenance", writes STIFEL analyst Joe DeNardi in a report on 9 December following meetings with
United executives.
DeNardi met with United's chief revenue officer Jim Compton, acting chief financial officer Gerry Laderman and chief operating officer Greg Hart.
Laderman said in November that the airline needed at least 30 100-seat aircraft.
"There is a natural need for a small mainline narrowbody," he says.
A deal including an order for a 100-seat aircraft could be part of the agreement-in-principal that United reached with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA)
in November. While the carrier and union have declined to comment on details of the deal, Compton previously confirmed that United had put an order for
a small mainline aircraft on the table in talks with ALPA.
"We're talking about an early opening with the pilots and finding a way that we can do that - make it win-win and bring in potentially a fleet that allows us
to match demand to capacity better," he said in October.
Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier and Embraer are competing for the potential order, says DeNardi. He views an order with Airbus or Boeing the "more likely
outcome" but adds that Bombardier is likely "being very aggressive with pricing".
Bombardier flew one of its CS100 flight test vehicles to Chicago O'Hare International airport for an event with United employees and officials on 19
November.
United's pilots agreement allows it to add up to 30 more 76-seat regional jets to its feeder fleet if it adds a small narrowbody to its mainline fleet. A small
narrowbody is defined as either the CS100 or Embraer E190 or E195 in the contract.
Separately, DeNardi says United plans to roll out its new no-frills fare class to better compete with ultra low-cost carriers in the second half of 2016.
"We are finding a way to ensure that we have a competitive option... we are not prepared to concede that our customers should fly on any of our
competitors," United's acting chief executive Brett Hart told reporters on 9 December.
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/united-could-add-up-to-50-100-seat-aircraft-analyst-419946/
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Malaysia Cargo Firm Says It Owns 3 Jets Left Idle at Airport
Left to right, two of the three abandoned planes with tail numbers, TF-ARM and TF-ARN are seen taxied on the tarmac of Kuala Lumpur International
Airport in Sepang, Malaysia, Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2015.
Malaysia's airport operator has an unusual dilemma after three large Boeing planes were left abandoned at the country's main airport for more than a
year.
A new Malaysian air cargo company said Friday it is the owner of three jumbo jets parked for more than a year at the country's main airport and that it
was shocked by authorities' claim that the owner could not be traced.
Malaysia's airport operator on Monday took the unusual step of posting photos in two major newspapers of the three Boeing 747-200s. The notice warns
owners that the airport has the right to sell or dispose of the planes unless they are collected within 14 days.
Swift Air Cargo said it legally bought the planes in June and that it has since been in communication with Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad, which has
demand more documentation on the purchase.
"We are dumbfounded and perplexed by Malaysia Airport's move. Swift is the owner and we definitely have not forgotten the planes," said Swift's lawyer,
Syed Amir Syakib Arslan.
In a brief statement, Malaysia Airports said the claim of ownership could not be satisfactorily verified at this point and that it has asked the owner for more
information. It said the newspaper notice was a normal legal process for debt recovery.
Syed Amir said Swift has given the airport operator the sale and purchase agreement, a legal declaration from the previous Hong Kong owner of the
planes on the sale as well as other original supporting documents to show ownership of the plane.
He said Swift is only liable for parking charges since June and not responsible for previous dues but that it was willing to sit down and negotiate with the
airport operator.
"We were waiting for yet another meeting to present more documentation and information as requested when instead Malaysia Airports announced to the
world that the owner of the planes was missing," he said.
Such a move could jeopardize the reputation of Swift, which is waiting for a permit from the government to start operations, he added.
http://abcnews.go.com/Weird/wireStory/malaysia-cargo-firm-owns-jets-left-idle-airport-35709348
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Indonesian aerospace company introduces new homegrown aircraft
A N219 aircraft designed by PT Dirgantara Indonesia at an assembly facility. The aircraft is considered to be a suitable vehicle for President Joko "Jokowi"
Widodo to use to travel around Indonesia. (Kompas.com/Reska K. Nistanto)
State-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has introduced the new N219, an aircraft entirely designed by local engineers and
suitable for travel around the archipelago.
International Civil Aviation Association (ICAO) special envoy Indroyono Soesilo said he was proud to present the work of local engineers and their
contribution to the world of aviation technology.
"The 19-seat N219 is the final contribution of Indonesian aerospace engineers from PTDI's 1970s and 1980s generation. Its system integrity, navigation
systems and all its technology are all original Indonesian made," Indroyono said as quoted by Kompas.com.
He said that he hoped this would inspire a new generation of engineers in the nation and continue the process of knowledge transfer from experienced
PTDI engineers to the new generation.
Former employees of PTDI who had moved on to work at leading aviation companies such as Boeing, Bombardier, Bell or ATR should pass on their
experiences and skills to young aspiring engineers, Indroyono continued.
These former employees had spread across the globe creating a diaspora of Indonesian aviation technology specialists, he added.
"If it is not taught to the young, the ability of Indonesians to design airplanes will eventually cease," said Indroyono.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/12/11/indonesian-aerospace-company-introduces-new-homegrown-aircraft.html#sthash.YPU6FACP.dpuf
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Air Force proposes $3-billion plan to vastly expand its drone program
After taxiing in an MQ-9 Reaper, Airman 1st Class Jon Mann walks under a Reaper's wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.
Pilots and crews who operate the U.S. fleet of MQ-1 Predators and MQ-9 Reapers have struggled to meet rising demand. A $3-billion plan, which must be
approved by Congress, would vastly expand the Air Force's drone program over the next five years. (Senior Airman Andrew Lee / U.S. Air Force)
W.J. Hennigan W.J. HenniganContact Reporter
The Air Force wants to vastly expand its drone program over the next five years by doubling the number of pilots and deploying them to bases in California
and elsewhere to give commanders better intelligence and more firepower.
The $3-billion plan, which must be approved by Congress, was unveiled Thursday after months of study that focused on a drone pilot force that
commanders have described as overworked, undermanned and underappreciated.
The proposed expansion comes as the Pentagon has intensified airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Iraq and Syria. Pilots and crews who operate the MQ-
1 Predators and MQ-9 Reapers have struggled to meet a rising demand for aerial surveillance of war zones and other hot spots.
"Right now, 100% of the time, when a MQ-1 or MQ-9 crew goes in, all they do is combat," said Gen. Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, head of Air Combat
Command, which oversees drone operations. "So we really have to build the capacity."
U.S. Air Force is planning to expand its drone operations
The Air Force wants to add 75 Reapers to the current fleet of 175 Reapers and 150 Predators. It also would increase the number of flying squadrons from
eight to as many as 17, and add up to 3,500 new pilots, sensor operators and other personnel.
Officials said they anticipate sending most of the new drone pilots and crews to bases across the country.
Those considered most likely include Beale Air Force Base near Sacramento, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base near Tucson, Joint Base Pearl Harbor - Hickam
near Honolulu, and Langley Air Force Base near Newport News, Va.
Air Force hires civilian drone pilots for combat patrols; critics question legality
Air Force hires civilian drone pilots for combat patrols; critics question legality
Pentagon officials also are considering putting a drone operations center at Lakenheath, a Royal Air Force base in Suffolk, England, but that would require
an agreement with British authorities.
Most Air Force drone missions around the world now are run from a single site, Creech Air Force Base, about an hour's drive from Las Vegas. The 3,325
military and civilian personnel assigned there must commute because no housing facilities exist on base.
The five new drone operations centers would cost about $1.5 billion to build, according to the Air Force. Some 400 to 500 pilots and crew personnel would
be assigned to each base, for another $1.5 billion.
The multiple bases could allow drone crews to hand off responsibility for ongoing missions to take advantage of shifting time zones. That would ease the
crushing workload at Creech, and reduce stress on the pilots and sensor operators.
"We'll have a little more stability and pass work back and forth," Carlisle said.
Chaitra M. Hardison, a RAND Corp. analyst who has studied the psychic toll of remote-control warfare for the Air Force, said it is difficult for pilots to find a
balance because they fight foreign wars each shift and return home after work.
"Unfortunately, the shift work and shift rotation may prevent them from engaging in many valued activities during their free time ... like attending night
school, coaching a sport, sharing in child care, attending sports games and recitals," she said. "This can impact families and service members' perceptions
of their quality of life."
As part of the plan, the Air Force hopes to create a more traditional military command structure. The drone program has grown exponentially in the last
decade and lacks organization, officials said.
Pilots now operate drones an average of 900 hours a year each, or more than three times more than fighter pilots.
To ease the pressure, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter agreed this summer to reduce the number of daily round-the-clock drone missions, called combat
air patrols, from 65 to 60. He also increased monthly bonuses for experienced drone pilots.
See the most-read stories this hour >>
"While horrendous hours may be necessary on a combat deployment, ridiculous schedules are not necessary," said T. Mark McCurley, a retired pilot who
commanded a Predator squadron that targeted high-ranking targets, such as Anwar Awlaki, an American-born recruiter for Al Qaeda in Yemen who was
killed by a drone strike in 2011.
Many drone pilots flew bombers, cargo planes and fighter jets before they were reassigned to Predators and Reapers, and many were not happy to make
the switch. Recruiting a new generation of pilots is now the priority.
"It'll take time ... for the old guard to work their way out of the system," said Peter W. Singer, a fellow at the nonpartisan New America Foundation and
author of "Wired for War." "These operations are now the norm, but many still don't want to face up to that reality and the change that entails. Just the
way it goes with disruptive change."
http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-drone-pilots-20151210-story.html
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3 Ways Tech Has the Aviation Industry Poised for Change - Again
Aviation has always been an industry greatly affected by technology, since without it, there would be no industry at all. Numerous technological
advancements and shifts have occurred over the years with remarkable regularity, too. From concerns over fuel efficiency and airline profitability to
increased safety measures and attempts to improve comfort, change - much of it fueled by tech - has been commonplace.
As technology continues to evolve and expand into every corner of contemporary life, change is once again afoot. Here are four ways tech has the aviation
industry poised and primed for change from the influence of big data to the possibility and necessity of sustainability.
The Evolving Airport
One way in which tech is changing the world we live in is in the realm of scalability. Businesses of all types and sizes are expected to adjust to new
developments at the drop of a hat, and, as such, can greatly benefit from tech that's scalable. Natural shifts due to client load, season, growth, and the
like are commonplace, and technology can aid in helping businesses negotiate those shifts more successfully.
Today's airports are an example of that need for a nimble and rapid scalability. Everything from high-tech, fabric buildings* that allow for quicker
installation of more sustainable hangars to pop up with relative ease, to data gathering and analytics that can be easily scaled to accommodate times of
heavier or lighter traffic, is on the table, and the airports that make use of it the best are more likely to enjoy better profit margins than those that do not.
The Race for Sustainability
The aviation industry produces massive amounts of greenhouse gases, most notably: CO2 and NOx. What's worse is the vast majority of these gases are
emitted at high altitudes, which makes them even more dangerous. Even as climate change concerns are reaching the point of alarm, aircraft emissions
are still projected to triple by the 2050. Why? Demand is expected to continue to increase around the world unless airline growth is constrained and strong
carbon pricing mechanisms are put in place. Unfortunately, the airline industry continues to fight carbon pricing mechanisms, and the EPA's tendency to
drag its feet about setting any meaningful emissions-reducing standards is still its dominant MO.
Technology - if used well - can help, as just having better data has shown numerous ways to improve fuel efficiency. Other tech improvements are being
developed as well. NASA is experimenting with new wings to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, and they've also created a non-stick coating
that keeps bugs from sticking to wings' leading edges - a surprising source of drag. However, without regulation and government intervention that also
curbs or limits demand while requiring the industry to make needed changes, aviation will probably continue to wreak havoc on a warming planet.
Aviation Biofuels & Solar Flight
Biofuels have a long and controversial history, but they could be one powerful and easy way for the aviation industry to cut its CO2 emissions. The good
news is that several airlines are heavily engaged in advancing sustainable biofuels. One of the most promising of these biofuels is from the use of
halophytes, which can grow in salty waters and use aquaculture waste (a huge problem in itself) as fertilizer. This potential solution, which is being tested
in a pilot project right now, came from the Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium, which includes Boeing, Etihad Airways, Masdar Institute, and
Honeywell's UOP. One interesting thing about biofuel aviation fuel is that it actually burns cleaner than oil from tar sands or shale formations - something
that would make airlines even happier.
Aside from halophyte biofuels, there's potential with other advanced biofuels, such as algae biofuel and camelina biofuel, and there are even waste-based
biofuels. Some commercial flights have already used some of these options. And then there is always the long-term potential of solar-powered flight.
Whatever path ends up being most competitive, we can be sure of one thing, the aviation industry will keep exploring new tech and evolving.
*This article was kindly sponsored by Legacy Building Solutions.
Keep up to date with all the hottest cleantech news by subscribing to our (free) cleantech newsletter, or keep an eye on sector-specific news by getting
our (also free) solar energy newsletter, electric vehicle newsletter, or wind energy newsletter.
http://cleantechnica.com/2015/12/11/3-ways-tech-has-the-aviation-industry-poised-for-change-again/
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SpaceX Launches May Resume Dec. 19, 6 Months after Accident
SpaceX says it's close to launching rockets again six months after an accident.
Chief executive Elon Musk announced via Twitter on Thursday a rocket test-firing for next Wednesday in Florida. A satellite launch for Orbcomm could
come three days later - Dec. 19th.
SpaceX has been stuck on Earth since June, when a broken strut doomed its Falcon rocket during liftoff. The accident left NASA without a viable U.S.
supplier for the International Space Station. NASA's other commercial shipper, Orbital ATK, finally made a delivery Wednesday, but had to use another
company's rocket.
SpaceX hopes to resume supply runs next month.
In the meantime, SpaceX will try again to land its first-stage booster, possibly back at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Barge landing attempts have
failed.
http://kstp.com/article/stories/s3988406.shtml
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Research Survey
Dear Aviation Colleagues,
***Survey Link https://purdue.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8nOzSNWYbDGqIsJ ***(copy directly into web browser if link does not work).***
My name is Tyler Spence. I am a PhD student at Purdue University working with Dr. Mary Johnson in the Purdue School of Aviation and Transportation
Technology.
In the survey that follows, we are seeking input on flight data analysis that may be derived from aircraft with flight data monitoring capabilities like the
Garmin G1000, Avidyne Entegra, or Aspen Evolution 1000. We are seeking your input on how we can use metrics, methods, and prototype graphs to
improve safety from GA pilots' perspectives.
This effort is a part of an FAA-sponsored research project that is exploring ways to improve General Aviation safety performance using flight data. More
specifically, our goal is to develop innovative techniques to analyze and present flight data in ways that are useful and meaningful to GA pilots and
operators. We are seeking feedback from anyone who uses the GA system including pilots, maintenance personnel, flight instructors, pilot examiners,
aircraft owners (individual or fleet), flight data analysts, and administrators.
The survey comprises two main sections:
1) Opinions of flight data monitoring and the use of a national database. This part of the survey should take about 10 minutes to complete.
2) Potential flight analysis graphs and figures that could be included in the application tool. This part of the survey should take about 30 minutes to
complete.
You are free to not answer any questions, and stop participation in the survey at any time. No personally identifiable information will be collected. All
answers reported in analysis will only be in aggregate without any connection to you on any response you may provide.
Thank you very much for your participation on this survey. Your responses are greatly appreciated and will hopefully help the aviation industry improve
the GA safety record.
If you have any questions regarding this survey or the information contained within, please feel free to contact the researchers directly at either
spence5@purdue.edu or mejohnson@purdue.edu.
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Upcoming Events:
New HFACS workshop
Las Vegas
December 15 & 16
www.hfacs.com
2016 DTI SMS/QA Symposium
January 3, 4, & 5 2016
Disney World, FL
1-866-870-5490
www.dtiatlanta.com
6th European Business Aviation Safety Conference 2016
February 23-24, 2016
Frankfurt, Germany
www.ebascon.eu
2016 Air Charter Safety Symposium | Safety: A Small Investment for a Rich Future
March 8-9, 2016 | NTSB Training Center | Ashburn, VA
http://www.acsf.aero/events/acsf-symposium/
CHC Safety & Quality Summit | Back to Basics: Prioritizing Safety in a Challenging Economy
April 4-6, 2016
Vancouver, BC
www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com
BARS Auditor Training
Washington, DC
Tuesday-Thursday 5-7 April
http://flightsafety.org/bars/auditor-training
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JOBS AVAILABLE:
Deputy Director of Flight Operations & Technical Services
Helicopter Association International
https://www.rotor.org/AboutHAI/Employment.aspx
Position Available: Airline Safety Manager - Investigation (Engineering)
Cathay Pacific
https://career10.successfactors.com/career?_s.crb=Q%252ffWkAOt5SsrsXlBnG3GK%252bmGYsU%253d
Curt Lewis